What HiFi? Profiles / interview with Steve Sells of Naim

Innocent Bystander posted:

SamClaus posted:

Perol posted:

That is really reassuring and most important to enjoy music imo

Many too audiophools are often seeking soundstage, room etc. listening for effects not neccesarily in the music

Quite agree - sold one of my speakers, actually.

Mono?

Sorry, I wasn't being serious... It just seems to me that "soundstage", "perspective" are integral parts of the listening experience, they're not there just for "audiophools" to enjoy.

I listen to a lot of classical music - chamber and instrumental mostly - and, of course, I want the "soundstage", or whatever it's called, to be as close as possible to what I would experience in the concert-hall. Timing, etc. is of great importance, obviously, but so is the ability to convey the atmosphere of the hall where the piece was recorded. "Timbre" is of paramount importance too.

Some on the forum seem to believe that "hifi" is a rude word - but fidelity to the original sound (and that includes "soundstage") is what we're all striving for. Some of the equipment I've had the pleasure of hearing over the years have contributed to my enjoyment of music.

SamClaus posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

SamClaus posted:

Perol posted:

That is really reassuring and most important to enjoy music imo

Many too audiophools are often seeking soundstage, room etc. listening for effects not neccesarily in the music

Quite agree - sold one of my speakers, actually.

Mono?

Sorry, I wasn't being serious... It just seems to me that "soundstage", "perspective" are integral parts of the listening experience, they're not there just for "audiophools" to enjoy.

I listen to a lot of classical music - chamber and instrumental mostly - and, of course, I want the "soundstage", or whatever it's called, to be as close as possible to what I would experience in the concert-hall. Timing, etc. is of great importance, obviously, but so is the ability to convey the atmosphere of the hall where the piece was recorded. "Timbre" is of paramount importance too.

Some on the forum seem to believe that "hifi" is a rude word - but fidelity to the original sound (and that includes "soundstage") is what we're all striving for. Some of the equipment I've had the pleasure of hearing over the years have contributed to my enjoyment of music.

 

I couldn’t agree more. 

(I had assumed your saying you’d sold a speaker was in jest, but was worth the question!)

Whilst personally i don’t seek ‘soundstage’, when it is expansive it really can draw one in, like being near the front at a gig/concert. When not critically listening I often have my speakers a bit far apart, which widens the soundstage further, as if I amstanding just in front of the stage: not the best balance, perhaps, but it has its own benefits. (It is a dual multi purpose room, and I move the speakers to optimum position for critical listening, though it sounds so good in the ‘wrong ‘ position that they tend to stay there much of the time!)

What I do like is naturalness, everything audible and in harmony as when at a good gig/concert positioned optimally, with a good PA system. And with decent speakers, amp and source at home it is not difficult, though if not careful it is easy to end up chasing nuances and forever seeking upgrades because that is human nature. Often best avoided!

I don’t particularly enjoy setups where every drum in the drum kit is etched in space - as this seems unnatural to me. But I do want speakers that disappear, leaving just the music, portrayed in a way that sounds natural and real. To have piano music that sounds as though there is a piano in the room, rather than contained within two wooden boxes, is what I’m looking for, and it’s what my system can do, even though everyone ‘knows’ that Naim speakers cannot do this. 

Yes, piano is notoriously hard to reproduce naturally - in fact my ancient (45+ year old) IMFs were remarkably good, making my keyboard with sampled piano sound exactly like a real instrument when played through them. My PMCs, though generally a tad better with the sound tightened up a bit all round, aren’t quite as good with piano and I needed to tweak the piano’s settings a bit. Most recordings sound fine, however.

I agree with you re drum kits - real life is a fairly compact collection on stage, all being in arms’length of the drummer, and though some people delight in telling that the high hat is on one side of the kit or the other, consistent with a left or right handed drummer, I’m not sure I can even hear it that precisely live unless close to the stage with an acoustic set-up. When the drumkit is spread across the whole soundstage it sounds artificial - but of course sometimes that is what is done with the recording when close-miked, or odd effects like panning from one side to the other while playing...

SamClaus posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

SamClaus posted:

Perol posted:

That is really reassuring and most important to enjoy music imo

Many too audiophools are often seeking soundstage, room etc. listening for effects not neccesarily in the music

Quite agree - sold one of my speakers, actually.

Mono?

Sorry, I wasn't being serious... It just seems to me that "soundstage", "perspective" are integral parts of the listening experience, they're not there just for "audiophools" to enjoy.

I listen to a lot of classical music - chamber and instrumental mostly - and, of course, I want the "soundstage", or whatever it's called, to be as close as possible to what I would experience in the concert-hall. Timing, etc. is of great importance, obviously, but so is the ability to convey the atmosphere of the hall where the piece was recorded. "Timbre" is of paramount importance too.

Some on the forum seem to believe that "hifi" is a rude word - but fidelity to the original sound (and that includes "soundstage") is what we're all striving for. Some of the equipment I've had the pleasure of hearing over the years have contributed to my enjoyment of music.

 

It often strikes me so many refer to "soundstage and "image when describing their wish or abilities in their setup

For me its nice to have but "prat and "tonal balance/timbre is so much more important factors for me, sometime audiophools simply forget this issue. It was certainly not meant as a generalisation audiophools, sorry if that was not clear.

Btw true mono replay is fine

I have been banging on about a 252/300/SBL being a seriously good system for your average sized UK living room. Nice to see Steve using something similar. No subs here though. Bass is tight and fast, just how I like it!

I quite like having sounds come at me from a wide and detailed soundstage. I like how it makes different instruments easier to follow in the mix. Not much depth with Sibbles mind. Agree with most that this is icing on the prat cake though.

Stu